Man's Mortality.

Otago Witness, Issue 1751, 13 June 1885, Page 24

Man's Mortality.

Tho following p^ain 1« considered apoo'teal gem r.t tihe first ordor. 'i'hi orlgi-ial was ( ■nnd m a.n Iriuh Md in Trinity College, Dublin. Th^re ia rcagori to think thati the poem w^a wiitton by ono of those primitive Chrlßt.an ba d 3iv tho reign ot UUr.niit. abonf, (ho >ear 55J, and was sung and chanted ai the last grana araembly of Kini;8 t chiuftaiaa, and I»rd3, held in the famous halls of Tara :— Like a damask roso you see, Or like a bloaxom on a tree ; ' Or like the dainty flower in May ; Or liko the morning to the day, Or like the tun, or like the BVjido, Or like tho gourd tnat Janah ma 'o ; Even such is man wh^Bo thread is spun, jDIftWQ rut at>d cut and bo i * done, 'i'he trorfe withera, tha blosiom bl vototh, The Sower fades, the morning hasteth, Tne Ban sets, the h:dow flme, I'fie gourd consumes, tha man— he dies. Like tho frrasa tbat'a nowly aprutig 1 , Or like the tala 1 hat's ne./ begun. Or like tho bud that'o here to-dfty. Or like tho po*rle<i iiow in M *y, Or-Jike an hour, or like a span, Or like the Dinging 0! 1 ha s v.»n ; Evoa BUtflt is man, who lives by breath, la hero, mow thero, In Me and dea ; ,h. 'Tb*i grass withers, the taio is emlei, s*a9 bird is flown, the dew* ascended, The hour is thoru, th span not long, The swan's noar dea'ih, man'd lite is done. Like to the bubble in the brook, Or in a gla^s much likt- a look Or like tho uhuttlo In weaver's baud, Ot like the writing od the pau'i, Or litie a thou^h% or like a tinam, O/ lito the gli 'ing oi a blream ; Kven such 1$ raiu, who li^cs by brjath, Is here, now 'ho»o, in life a^id dotth. Tho bubbio'ri • vi, t io look Img-A, The .sUuUjc'b fluug, tho writing's ololi, The thi U'^h: ia p.>st sho dieam is gono, Tgo waters glide, ma,b'a life is douu. Liko an artow from a bow, Or like a swift cou tie of wa cr fi >w, Or .ibe ihe Jioai 'oAixt floud and ebb, Or like the epid°r'B t,Bu>ior wob, Or like a race, or like a :,'o<il t Or like th > dealing ot ih '■ dolo, Even such is naan, who-o bi\ttle state Ia always subjeot unto f »to. 'Ihe arrow.shofi, <h -, fliad scon spent, Tho time uo time, th j we ) Bioti iunt, Tlio race soon run, t'lo go^l soon won, The dole soon d.'alt, man's life soon done. Liko the lightning from the shy, Or like a oust that quick doth hie, Or liko a quavnr in a ronir. Or ;iko a jom-ney ih'ea f'.ays long, Or liki' a bnow *hen 8 -muiej'e como, Or like a piar, o: liko <» olum ; Even euch is man, who hsnus up pov-ow, Lives hut. this (!ay and tiits t^-morrow. Tho lifchtu.ng'a p.i6t, the poet mu,t go, The snug ia 1 horn, ths journo\ so, The p«ar doth rot, the jilum doth fall, The snow dissolves, and so mast all